And So it Goes
by KittensWithDaggers
Summary: Just a drabble journal/ sort of sequel to "A Man Like Me Can Never Change". I had an unfinished chapter of Javert and Lilybet that I figured I'd put up. These won't be in any particular order- some during the events of the story, some after.
1. Her Birthday

_**A/N: Hey guys! This isn't a new story, I got a request on the tumblr for a drabble, I just had some time on my hands and found this half-written on my computer so I thought I'd put it up! If anyone has questions or wants more drabbles, let me know in the reviews or on the Tumblr! Let me know especially if you'd want a specific theme (a holiday, a birthday, a situation, etc) for it, I'd be happy to write it up! :) If there's anyone who still might follow this story- enjoy! (PS: this one fits around the events of chapters 15/16)**_

* * *

 **Montreuil-sur-Mer, 1823**

The throng of people- women and beggars, mostly- that crowded the markets were by no means unusual, but that did not mean it was any more comfortable for Javert or his horse to ride by on that hot, summery Tuesday. It seemed as if everything from the shoppers to the very ground were reflecting the heat of the early afternoon sun.

He hated when his patrols took him through the center of town, but that did not make him any less ready for the job. The law was not there to convenience him. His horse kept making small noises of discomfort, and Javert almost felt bad for it- he would tip the stable boy to give it an extra apple when he returned.

He scanned the crowd periodically to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary, his experienced senses managing to look only passively but take in enough detail to become familiar with certain faces. In such a small area, it was not uncommon.

It was therefore not uncommon for his eyes to stop for half a second on a mane of honey-brown locks, looking more honey than brown from the sunlight. He watched her for long enough to see her stick the handle of her basket in her mouth and use her hands to ribbon her hair into a messy up-do of sorts and take out her handkerchief and wipe her warm face for everyone to see.

Regrettably, the slight drop his stomach took when he saw the girl was not uncommon either. It had been happening for the past two weeks, ever since the incident with the urchin girl.

Ever since he calmed her down from near-hysteria, ever since she allowed herself to fall asleep on him with tears still in her eyes. He told himself it was because of his promotion letter- two weeks until he was to relocate, how would he broach the subject? At first, he sought her out a few times in an effort to tell her professionally, but each time he faltered. It felt inappropriate. So, he started distancing himself. Javert did not go to the church on Wednesdays anymore, and he never approached her. But when she approached him, particularly when he was off-duty, what could he do? She always seemed happy.

 _And you do as well_ , a small voice in the back of his head said.

And it was a small town.

All of this happened in the span of maybe a second, and she did not see him. In thirty more he would pass her by, and he was clear from that freckled, slightly sun-burnt face for another day.

"Lilybet, dear, happy birthday!"

Javert managed to only shift his widened eyes as he looked sideways at the girl he was now passing as her fair haired friend approached with open arms.

"Thank you, Gretchen, thank you!"

They embraced, their voices now carrying clearly over the crowd.

"What will you do today?"

"Well, I'm yours for now, then later I'll probably be at the park until nightfall. Father should be home later in the evening so I expect he'll want me there."

"Oh! There, what about-"

"-let's café. Do you want to go? I want to go." she laughed airily as she cut her friend off. Javert looked once more in passing as he scanned the crowd and locked eyes with her briefly before she turned rapidly away.

Did he really forget that it was her birthday? How did he manage that? Each time he had seen her for nearly a month, she found ways of reminding him.

 _"The summer holiday is starting. My birthday is coming up."_

 _"Did you see the beautiful cakes at the bakery? I hope they have ones like that on my birthday soon."_

 _"I think I've read all of my interesting books. I hope I get sent some new ones for my birthday next week."_

Really, it was almost impressive that he managed to forget with her consistency.

Javert wondered if the bookstore was closing before the end of his shift-

No, that would be terribly improper. He was leaving, the last thing the girl needed was a memento to remember him by.

He did, however, need to walk through the park on his way home. Whether or not that was when she would be there (or, moreover, if she knew that), he reasoned, would not make a difference.

If she was, it would be an excellent opportunity to tell her.

…...

Elisabet walked slowly through the park, past couples taking pre-supper walks and nannies taking children home to their parents. Soon, she and Gretchen sat down at a bench as the crowd began to thin.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss classes. I have much too much time." Elisabet complained, wiping her forehead once again in the heat.

"I prefer doing nothing out in the sun to our academics," Gretchen teased, "but I did not have a friend who met me outside of my classes."

"Shut it," Elisabet muttered, elbowing her friend playfully, "at least I don't doze off in class with the excuse 'oh, my French is not much good, excuse me, Seester-"

"-you stop!" Gretchen said before they both burst out laughing. When they subsided, she continued, "You are not seeing your Inspector friend on your birthday?"

Elisabet sighed, trying to maintain a cool exterior as her insides felt prickly. "No, I don't know, he hasn't said a thing. He's a police officer, why should he have time for something like that?"

Even so, Elisabet had not seen Javert for the past week, except once. But each time, she had been guilty of mentioning her birthday and he had kept the conversation going. He wasn't even at the church this week.

 _Why should he be? It's not like you plan to meet there, he can do whatever he pleases_ , a voice chided her.

Gretchen sighed, "I should be going home now. Will you walk with me?"

"No, I think I'll stay until the sun really starts setting. I'm not a far walk from here."

"Alright. I am hoping it works well for you." As usual, she smiled a bit too knowingly for Elisabet's liking before hugging her and walking away.

Elisabet ended things with Everett two and a half weeks ago. Her cousin left two weeks ago. Mona died two weeks ago.

It was so strange, how she could go from having so many people around her to just Gretchen and, sometimes, Javert. She still could not wrap her head around how a little girl could just cease to exist within the span of a few minutes.

Each time she thought of Mona, she found herself slipping into a dark trench. Most times she would be able to use one thought or another as a rope to throw over the ledge and catch herself, and she never fell to the bottom that Javert had seen her in two weeks before. But now, as she sat by herself and the light of day showed just the slightest signs of disappearing, her heart sped up as she felt her mind going down that slide.

 _Don't be sad, what do you have to be sad about? You're fine. You're healthy. At least not today. Please, it's your birthday, not today._

Her blank gaze into the distance focused suddenly on a black horse being led by a man in a navy blue uniform that she could recognize anywhere. The rope was thrown down and she grasped it with her head as her hands reached into the basket to pull out an apple. She threw it across the park to the main path where Javert was walking with his horse. It landed a meter short, but the stallion saw it and lunged towards the unexpected treat, throwing Javert off. His head snapped towards the offending direction and his face immediately assumed a look of what could only be called annoyed recognition.

Elisabet grinned and waved at Javert, smiling wide both for him and for herself. Her mind quieted down as she saw him walk towards her, and she looked down at the ground still smiling. So maybe he did hear her earlier today. What a strange friend she picked to be her best, Lilybet thought.

"Good evening, sir." she mock saluted once she heard the footsteps.

"Mademoiselle." Javert greeted with a nod. He looked at his horse sternly as he tied him to a post. "It has already eaten two apples today."

"Well, he ate this one, so he must've still been hungry."

Javert walked towards her and held out a small box at arm's length. "Happy birthday." he said somewhat awkwardly.

Lilybet's face once again broke out into a smile as she tore at the wrappings. Inside was a small, beautifully decorated cupcake.

"It is not much-"

"-it's wonderful. Thank you so much." Elisabet started to stick it in her mouth before taking it out once again and unceremoniously tearing it in half and sticking her hand out. "Here, share."

Javert looked down at the destroyed pastry. "Perhaps if you had asked before tasting it…"

"It didn't touch my mouth, I swear!"

"No, thank you."

Elisabet looked at him doubtfully before shrugging and eating both halves.

"How'd you even know I was here?"

"Did you not want me to know?"

"W-What?"

"You said very loudly you would be here. I assumed you still would be."

"When?!"

"At the market."

"You saw me at the market?!"

"You know I saw you at the market."

Elisabet felt her face grow hot. "No, I- I, no. Maybe- was that you? I might've seen-"

"-you are seventeen now." Javert said vaguely. She would've stopped to think about how random the comment seemed if it hadn't saved her from being a bumbling mess.

"I am." she agreed. "I'm getting old." When Javert only snorted, she looked at him. "Just because you think you're an aging bag of bones doesn't mean nobody else can."

"The comparison is hardly similar."

"Maybe more similar than you think, Monsieur Inspector."

Javert only huffed again and looked out across the park.

After a few minutes of silence, Elisabet looked down at her lap where she was fiddling with the cupcake box.

"If I had gone home earlier- if you hadn't seen me here, what would you have done with the cupcake?"

"I would have most likely given it to my house keeper if she was still in."

"And if she wasn't?"

"Then I would have eaten it before bed."

Elisabet thought for a moment, picturing Javert alone at a wooden dining table, dressed in uniform. She pictured him silently opening up the box and trying to figure out the best way to eat the small, delicate pastry with his thick hands, possibly trying his best to avoid harming the candy flowers as much as possible. The sudden, vivid image made her snicker to herself, rocking back and forth slightly.

"What?" he asked, his head immediately turning towards her.

"Nothing, nothing. Just thinking about something."

"Are you alright?" he asked out of nowhere.

But it wasn't out of nowhere, and Elisabet tried not to think about that.

"I'm fine," she dismissed quickly, before adding under her breath, "but you don't need to go asking."

"I am not a mind reader, child."

"You need to stop calling me that! I'm seventeen now."

"You are."

"Don't you forget it."

"Believe me, Mademoiselle, I will not."

"So you'll stop calling me child."

"Once you stop chortling to yourself and shouting across marketplaces."

"Low blow, my friend." She grinned up at him once again. Javert may not have been a mind reader, but he did understand her fairly well, and she was grateful he understood her now.

 _You weren't there on Wednesday. Are YOU alright? I haven't seen you in almost a week. I know we don't plan to meet, but you're always there. And you weren't there._

It was on the tip of her tongue, but she held it back. It was her birthday, and she did not want to get into any long discussion when she just now climbed back over the edge of the trench. Besides, it was time to be getting home soon.

And maybe, just maybe, she didn't really want to know his answer.

"The sun's really setting now. I think Father will be home soon, do you have any time to walk with me?"

"I thought you were able to walk in the dark by yourself now?"

"I am, but…" she trailed off with a shrug and looked up at the standing inspector.

Javert walked over to his horse and began to untie him. "Come, Mademoiselle. It is your birthday, after all."


	2. The Job Decision

**_A/N:_** ** _Here's one for the first request I got! Hope I did your imagination justice :) Let me know if you guys like it!_**

* * *

 **Late August, 1832**

The embers crackled and sparked as the newly made fire ate through the logs and grew. It cast an orange glow on the stones of the small fireplace that was complimented by the sunset's golden light stretching across the wood floor.

Etienne Javert sat in one of the chairs by the hearth, leaning slightly into the seat on his good side. He stared into the fire. The flames dancing in his eyes eliminated any chance of her reading their expression, but still produced a beautiful effect of shimmering gold on calm green. The silvery hairs in his beard and on his head blended with the sandy ones in the last orange light of day. It was as if the colors slowly worked to control him, eventually turning Javert into solid gold.

"It's August." Elisabet said matter of factly after taking in the scene.

Javert blinked expressionlessly a few times before turning just a few degrees in her direction. "You were outside?"

"I had to bring Evie and Atlas back into the stables and feed them before the sun sets. When did you get back?"

"No more than twenty minutes ago."

"And you felt cold in the late summer evening, so you lit a fire?"

Javert merely grunted and turned back to staring into the unnecessary flames.

Elisabet took off her shoes and briefly checked on the food in the oven before returning to the sitting room. She leaned against the window, staring out onto the hill that the sun was quietly crawling behind. She turned back and studied Javert, noticing his locked bottom jaw moving side to side in his mouth.

"How long did it take to walk into town?"

"Maybe half an hour."

"Leg?"

"Fine."

"I don't think it's a good idea walking that far, though. You never know."

"I will ride in in the future."

"So then you've got the job?"

"They told me about the letter that Vipond sent concerning my experience and my recommendations. They asked if I would consider working in their police station managing and mentoring the younger officers."

"I'm glad you reached out and told him everything, that was so kind of him to just write them right away. But then again, when you're retired I guess you have that kind of time. What did you say?"

"I told that I would be honored to accept the position, discussed salary, hours, protocol."

"So what's the matter?"

Javert looked down silently and Elisabet could tell that he was wondering whether he should lie and say nothing or lie with something else. So when he responded, "The injury.", after a little while, she wasted no time in shooting down his answer.

"And how would you know?" he asked, raising his eyebrows slightly in what she was happy to see was mild amusement.

"Because you don't even tell me when it's really hurting. I'm supposed to believe that you're sweating in front of a fire right now because your hip is sore?"

"Fair enough." he snorted.

Elisabet walked closer to him and leaned on his unused armrest. Her voice became gentle as she voiced her thoughts. "Is it the job? Are you worried about going back into the police after... everything?" The events of just over two months ago weren't any easier for her to speak about than they were for him.

Javert looked down into his lap and sighed, and Elisabet knew she was at least in the right direction.

She put her hand on the back of his head and mindlessly ruffled her fingers through his hair.

"It's okay, you know. You understood your mistakes, otherwise you wouldn't be where you are today. It's just a job. If it was anything more, you wouldn't have the choice whether to take it or leave it. Or you could take it and then decide to leave later. You did it before. And if you ever start feeling it like it's the only thing, you'll come home at the end of the day and I'll always remind you that it's not. You're not coming home to an empty house anymore where all you think about is work. It's not the only thing going on in your life. It'll be part of it, of course, but... you know, so am I." The last part made her face grow hot for some reason, and she looked down sheepishly before looking back up to see Javert staring at her.

Without warning, he pulled her onto his lap and nuzzled his face into her neck. Elisabet gasped in surprise before wrapping her arm around his shoulders and making a contented noise, leaning her cheek on his head.

"What other options would I have? If I did not take it?"

"Well, I don't know. Open a store, farm, or just stay home and read books. It's not for me to say, as long as you're happy. Just live day to day, if you decide to take it then don't think about what might've been if you didn't. If you wake up one morning and decide you want to see what else could be, go ahead and quit. I can promise you that your life will keep going, and I'll still be here."

* * *

Lilybet had given him this speech, or versions of it, several times. Nevertheless, it had a relaxing effect on him. Hearing her taking comfort in the unknown almost... emboldened him, in a way. The part of her neck just under her jaw was warm and vibrated lightly as she spoke, and as he held her Javert knew that what she was saying was true. The law would not have him in a vice grip because it was no longer all he had. He had a small home, he had a field where he liked to plant various vegetables and take his horses out. He had a bookshelf that now contained some books of Lilybet's that he had not read. He had Lilybet.

When Vipond had written Javert back and told him that he completely understood and respected his decision, he was relieved. When he told him that he would write to his old acquaintance who just happened to be in the town's police department, he was in equal parts hesitant and relieved. Relieved, that he had found work so early, and work that would suit his knowledge. But if he were not careful... how did Javert know that it would not consume him? That he would not live and die by the law?

Then he would look at Lilybet, who busied herself by adding finishing touches here and there to make the house just as she liked it (and to try and keep her head off of her recent loss, he knew), and he knew the fears had no base. The law would not be his life because she was. He would not sit at work through the night because he was eager to get back to her at the end of the day. He would not leave before sunrise to be the first one there because he could barely tear himself away when the sun hit Lilybet's face in the morning, only inches from his and still snoring lightly because she almost always got up later than he did. He would not work on weekends, because he and Lilybet explored the surrounding areas and he would busy himself finding lunch in town for the both of them until she met up with him after going through the market.

He knew deep down that he would not make the same mistake- but it was nice hearing it for reassurance.

"I love you." he told her, nuzzling deeper. Lilybet held him tighter and curled against him, clearly pleased by the sudden affection. It was freeing to hold and kiss her as he pleased, not worried about the status quo or public opinion.

"If you loved me you'd put out the damn fire."

Javert did as he was told and returned to his chair. Lilybet, liking their previous arrangement, sat back down on his lap.

"How has your day been, Mademoiselle?" he asked as she switched to putting her head on his shoulder.

Lilybet sighed and kissed his earlobe. "It was nice. I tried to make preserves, we'll see how they turn out tomorrow. I practiced riding Evie again and I think I've gotten better, I didn't go too crazy though, just a slow trot around the fence."

"You are getting more comfortable with interpreting her?"

"Yes, I think she and I are really beginning to understand each other. I want to see if there's a place in town that may have a book on horses, next time we go."

"Would you like to go tomorrow?"

"Sure, let's."

Javert nodded, putting his hand on her back.

"Also I think I'm pregnant."

"... _What?"_

Lilybet almost fell off his lap when he sat bolt upright, but Javert grabbed her and pulled her back protectively. He pulled her face to his and looked between her sheepish eyes and her normal midsection.

"Are you really surprised?"

"Of course I am!"

"I wasn't really sure when or how to bring it up-"

"-how long have you known?"

"I suspected it for the past two weeks or so, but I'm pretty sure now it's certain-"

" _-you have been riding horses for two weeks with the assumption that you are pregnant?_ "

"Yes, I mean, what? No? Should I not?"

"No!"

"But I was getting so much better?"

Javert felt the warmth within him manifest itself into a smile on his face, perhaps the widest and toothiest he had ever made. He pressed his forehead against his wife's as her confusion turned into delight at his response. A child. He, Javert, was going to have a child.

His hand automatically went to Lilybet's stomach but he was suddenly too nervous to put it down. He could have sworn she heard his thoughts, because she took his hand and pushed it lightly down until it rested on where her stomach would soon swell. He looked back into her face. What a mother she would be, he thought.

"Promise you won't stop loving me when I'm fat?"

"I could never. Never ever."

"And when I start eating more?"

"Is that possible?"

She laughed as they sat in their quiet home, excited for what the future held.

"You do not think that I will be too old to be a good father?" he asked, the one doubt nagging at him.

"I don't think your age has anything to do with it. You, now, exactly as you are, will be a wonderful father." Well, he would try his best to be.

Lilybet sniffed the air before standing suddenly.

"I have a chicken in the oven, I think I need to go take it out."

"No." Javert said almost before she finished. He took her hand and stood while gently but firmly seating Lilybet back down. "You stay here, be comfortable. Do you need a window open? Are you still hot? I will take care of everything."

As he walked towards the kitchen, Lilybet called to him, "This is nice, but I'm not dealing with nine months of this, you know!"

He looked back over his shoulder. "And do not ride any more horses."


End file.
